The Ticking Clock
by a1y-puff
Summary: Accompanied by the ticking clock, Tezuka waited for Fuji. written for 50scenes in LJ. mild angst?TezuFuji. oneshot.


**Title:** The Ticking Clock.  
**Author:** a1y-puff  
**Fandom:** Prince of Tennis  
**Characters:** Tezuka/Fuji  
**Prompt:** #23. Alone  
**Genre:** See the prompt. You'll know it's gonna be (a little) angst xD  
**Word Count:** 816  
**Rating:** G  
**Summary:** Accompanied by the sound of the ticking clock, Tezuka waited for Fuji.  
**Warnings:** none  
**Disclaimer:** PoT belongs to Konomi-sensei. Tezuka and Fuji belongs to each other. Prompt belongs to "50scenes". Only the plot is mine xp

**A/N:** The idea came to me when I was in bed, and suddenly felt thirsty so I reached for my glass of water on the table to my right, when suddenly my wristwatch was so close to my ear that I heard its ticking… thus born the idea xD  
Written for the "50scenes" community in LJ

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**The Ticking Clock

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**Tezuka sighed as he scanned the TV channels absent-mindedly. Click, click, click… everything was a blur to him. Nothing could really catch his eyes, so he shut the TV off. 

He rested his head against the headrest of the sofa.

Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock…

Tezuka never knew that the sound of the ticking clock could be so loud like this. He glanced at the clock on the wall, right above the TV, and sighed.

It had been four hours, and Fuji had not come home. His cellphone was off, and Yumiko said he wasn't at the Fuji's residence either. He tried to call everyone he thought Fuji might have gone too, but the result was zero. He wasn't everywhere Tezuka could think of.

He must be really upset.

The subject of their quarreling earlier was not a new issue. It was Fuji's complain of Tezuka's lack of time home.

It had been half a year since Tezuka's arm finally fully healed. And it had been months since Fuji first accused him being too obsessed with Tennis matches. Tezuka always said that he had to go to every match he could to make up for his absence during his rehabilitation time, which was over a year.

After graduating high school, Tezuka's arm had gotten worse. He had to quit tennis for the time being so that his arm could heal. He spent his first year of university, only watching the tennis court from afar.

For over a year Tezuka restrained himself to play an all-out match; to enter any club or tournament, and satisfied himself only with some friendly matches in which everyone seemed to go easy on him.

He had enough of that.

So, once the doctor said that his arm had fully healed, he got very excited. He joined the tennis club in his university, managed to be a regular soon enough and entered any tournament he could. Be it as a member of his team, or as individual. He thought he should catch up with the time he had wasted without tennis.

But Fuji didn't seem to agree with his perspective.

Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock…

The clock kept ticking so loud as if mocking his solitary. Tezuka glanced at the clock again, and sighed. There was still no sign of Fuji coming back anytime soon. Where could Fuji be at this hour anyway?

A spark of guilt started to flicker inside him now.

Yes, he knew that it was his fault that Fuji was so upset. When Fuji complained about him being too busy with tennis for the umpteenth time, Tezuka snapped him out. He was frustrated, why couldn't Fuji understand how important tennis was for him? Later did he realize Fuji was right.

But it was too late now. He had said that words.

'_Tennis is my everything, Shuusuke!'_

He could still see the vivid image of the pained expression on the tensai's face in his mind. The hurt he had caused reflected in those blue orbs.

'_If tennis was your everything, Tezuka,' _Tezuka's chest still ached even now from the use of his family name. He then remembered Fuji continued with a low-tone voice, _'then, do I not mean anything to you?'_

Before Tezuka could respond with any words, Fuji turned his body, grabbed his coat and stomped out of their apartment and left with a bang on the door.

Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock…

The sound of the ticking clock started to annoy him for no reason at all. Probably because it reminded him that he was alone; that there was no Fuji around.

Ever since junior high, Fuji was almost always by his side, literally and metaphorically. When they were in high school, Fuji was still by his side in tennis; as a teammate, a rival, and eventually, a lover.

When he had to quit tennis for rehabilitation, it was Fuji who was still staying by his side. He accompanied him every time Tezuka had to see his therapist, played some friendly match with him; not so serious that Tezuka wouldn't burden his arm again, yet not so gentle for Tezuka could still enjoyed their games.

Fuji was always by his side, that Tezuka had taken his presence for granted. That he forgot to appreciate the other's effort to stay by him; like ditching some classes just so he could go with Tezuka to see his therapist; taken in all of Tezuka's rants when he was very frustrated; taken care all of Tezuka's needs in his rehabilitation time, and many other things Fuji had done for him.

Now that he was alone did Tezuka realize one thing so important to him, yet he had failed to see all these times.

Tennis was _not _his everything.

_Fuji_ was.

Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock…

The clock kept ticking and ticking in Tezuka's ears. Once again, he glanced at the clock and sighed again.

It was three in the morning.

Fuji wasn't home yet.

**-NeverEnding-**

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**A/N:** Nyahaha, I've made so much fluff before, so now I'm in the mood for angst. I hope I didn't make Tezuka OOC. Sorry if I did!  
And as usual, reviews would be so much loved XD


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